MN Mom’s Emotional Post about Bullied Son Goes Viral

A post from a heartbroken Minnesota mother sharing the abuse her son receives at school has gained viral attention.

On December 3, Ashleigh Bursch took to Facebook in an emotional post regarding her son's ongoing bullying at Chaska Middle School East.

Last Year it was a common theme for my middle son Taylin to come home in tears and angry where he could hardly speak because students at Chaska middle school east antagonized him with the name 'monkey'...A term most often used to degrade and belittle an African American."

She goes on to recall an incident where a teacher's toddler who was visiting the classroom was provoked into drawing a monkey on the whiteboard, all the while students looking and laughing at her son.

Students often remark, she says, that her son's dad "is a drug dealer, or rapper because that’s what all black dads are."

Even Ashleigh's daughter has experienced degrees of racism.

My daughter has been told by her very best friends that their parents would never allow them to date boys that are not white...To have to explain that the people she has sat and ate dinner with and gone on vacations with wouldn’t allow their daughter to date someone like her brothers or her father crushed her."

In the most recent incident that led to Ashleigh's breaking point and the post that has since gone viral, she shares an email she received from Chaska Middle School East's principal. The email informs her of a heartbreaking incident against her son Taylin:

Taylin’s gym T-shirt was taken from his gym locker and returned with the word 'NIGGER' written across it. What broke my heart even more was Taylin didnt get angry he didn’t freak out instead he put the t-shirt on and put his sweatshirt over it. MY son wore a t-shirt with the N word written on it the entire class with a sweatshirt hiding it."

Ashleigh concludes her heartfelt post with a plea to her community to be better.

In the three days since its posting, Ashleigh's post has garnered 508 comments and 1,062 shares. Responses have been fully supportive:

"You’re not alone. We’re in he same district. We’re fighting this battle of intolerance, insensitivity and often times blatant racism right along with you."

"Makes me sick. Your poor children."

"This is disgusting! It starts at home! Make these parents responsible! I'm so sorry your baby is going through this."

"Sounds like a principal needs to be replaced"

Bring Me the News reports that Chaska Middle School East sent a message to parents informing them of the t-shirt incident, an investigation was underway and the Chaska Police Department was aware.

Get the Official River Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest Minnesota & music news in your inbox a couple times a week. If we're not awesome, drop us like a hot potato.